Existing comment:
A Misunderstood First Lady:
The press branded Mary a spendthrift because of her tastes in furnishings and clothing. Journalists hounded her, recording every purchase she made in renovating the White House. Yet no reporters accompanied Mary on her visits to Union hospitals, where she wrote letters for wounded soldiers and read aloud to patients. Likewise, her charitable efforts on behalf of newly freed slaves won scant notice.
After Lincoln's death, Mary believed herself nearly bankrupt. In 1867, she tried unsuccessfully, to auction some of her gowns in New York City, an endeavor that was met with scorn by the public.
After Lincoln's death, souvenir hunters tore apart and stole many objects and furniture in the White House while Mary was in mourning on the second floor. |